Amusement apparatus



AMUSEMENT APPRATUS Filed Hay 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 23, 1932. R,RAPE|N 1,873,216

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed lay 1l. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug.23, 1.932

UNITED STATES FRANCE PATENT otros ,HRoBER'r EAPEIN, 0E CHEMAZE, MAYENNE,FRANCE, AssrGNoR To SOCITEA EEsroNsA- BILITE LIMITEE; coNsoE'rIUivrGENERAL `DE LINnUs'rRIEl roaArNE, or, PARIS,

AMUsEMENT ArrAE'A'rUsv` 'Application led May 11, 193.1, Serial No.536,601, and` in France December V26, 1930.v

This invention relates to amusement ap-4 paratus in which movableobjects arranged,`

for receiving passengers aredriven for movingat a definite speed,although it may be l'variable, on denite paths.

The invention has for main. object to provide an amusement apparatus ofthis kind comprising several groups of movable objects,

each -group of movable objects having 1a :path different from the othergroups,rand

in which, moreover, these paths are arranged for intersecting eachother, the movements ofV the various groups of movable objects beingrendered dependent on each other so that, al-

g ,though the paths intersect, there is no risk of collision betweenmovable objects belonging to distinct groups, the movable objects of oneof the groups passing, at the time they cross the paths, between twosuccessive movable ob- .jects of the other group.

The lspeed at which the movable objects can be caused to move, withoutthere being any danger, gives-,to the passengers thevery disn tinctimpression, when crossing the trajec- Itories, that collisions areunavoidable. The

surprise resulting from this impression constitutes the main interest ofthis new amusement apparatus.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by

f way of example only, a Jform of carrying out the invention.

Fig. 1 is an elevation and section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

In this example, the amusement aparatus is constituted by four groups ofmovable objects having a circular path; these groups are associated inorder that the paths be concentric per pair.

The right-hand portion of this roundabout` is composed of a circularplate 1 and of a concentric crown 2 arranged at the same level as thesaid plate 1 and supported by a plate 3 arranged underneath thepreceding one.

On the plate 1 are secured four seats or groups of seats; on the crown 2vare also secured four seats or groups of seats. These seats or groupsof lseats can be of any kind and constituted by motor cars, airplanes,va-

rious animals, bicycles or any other objects. The plate 1 and crown 2constitute the two coupled by bevel pinions. l'

raceways of the right-hand group,'theyre v ceive a rotary movement'ofreverse direction b-y means ofntoothed rims 4 and 5, one of which, 4, isrigid with the plate 8 and, conf sequently, with thecrownf2, andthe isrigid-with the plate l1,", f, .A A

The rims 4 and 5 have bevelled teethand other, V5,

arranged one above the other so that they can Vthe raceway 2, and, onthe. other hand, the

toothed rim 5 is rigidly secured atk its centre on a vertical shaft 8,the upper end o which l extends in. a bearing 9, and the lower end restsina step bearing l() arranged in the upa per part of the roundabout;suitable sleeves and ball bearings ensure the guiding androtation of thevarious members. y

The plate 3 rests onv rollers or rolling wheels, and other rollersorrolling wheels12 areinoerposed between the plates l and 3.

The left-handportion lozt the roundabout partially overlaps the,right-bami portion and it is constituted in the same manner as theYlatter.` y

In this left-hand portion of the roundabout, the various partsaredesignated by the same reference numbers as for theright-handportion, but with the indeX"a.

-T he raceways and driving members are in? vertedand arranged intheupper part ofthek roundabout; consequently, the seats are hung' fromthese racewaysv and ar'etlush with the iioor of the roundabout, levelwith the race `ways 1 and 2the vertical shaft being placed as near aspossibleto-theracewayl2.. 1

Y On the shafts 7 and 7 a Iare rigidly secured pinions 1 3, 13L ofthesanue dimensions, on which passesV a chain 14; consequently, the

Y movement of rotation impartedto the shaft-v 'Z is transmitted tonthe'shaft "a andnboth groups v'of raceways thusmove atthe samespeed.

.Use might also be madeof 1 The arrows shown on the drawingsindicate thedirection of' rotationrof thevarious race',-

control Y l K number.

Ways of the roundabout; it Will be noted that the two raceways of oneand the same group rotate in reverse direction and also that the tWoinner raceways of both groups rotate in reverse ldirectionto each other,and the same is true foritheouter'raceways It Willb'e understood thatbymeans ofthe arrangement adopted the seats of the-rightf v`tati-ngabout a shaft, a second platerotating -j 4in. reverse direction about ashaft/different handygrouprpassbetweenV the seatsjof `the left-handgroup',- and-g-reverselyyat the place `where both groups ofraceways aresuperposed, thusproducing an interlocked'or en-v tan led circulation.

he seatsl fof the innerraceways ".WillTA be" given smaller dimensionsthan those of the louter'=raceways, 'foraljlowi'n'g the passage -fo'fracetvavs, thesaid roundabout could comprise three groups' of racewaysor' even' "a greater Y The' rac'eivaysi can-presentf another shapethanithe circular shape shown 'in' the draw'- l'ius',they mightbeelongated, elliptical, inthel A able'sli'ape lflovving'tlie seatso thevarious racev'vay'sto` cross'each other.

If airplanes are usedas Seats-careA will be tlli'eng forlfacilitatingthecrossings, -to place` the Wings at diiierent levels.

Theffvari'ou's'parts of thev roundabout Will of' coi'irsebe assembled sothat they" c'an be easilyy tal'er-to pieces."

to secure by Lett'e'isPater-1tisi:v f

i 1i. an"-anii1seinentiapparatus,aplate r0- f tatiigblit vertical shaft?afsecond plate" also rotating about a vertical shaft-different from "thei preceding Y one*VE and so arranged thaitf"afjortion ofthissecondEplate 'is above a Y portion of the fiist'plate,i seatsfsecured "on" thefirst plate, seats hung below the second thefsaniefplane; as thelpathfof the seats ofthe' first plate; kmeans for; causing each of theplates to rotate, and means' for renderingfthe movements 'f' the 'p1-amsependnt' on 'each other yfor' thusvv avoiding any possibility"V 'offcollisonpat the crossingpontstf thel paths of fthe' seats'.A

v 2'. In' anYainus'ementi ap for aina'aging` thel plates in such" awayfthat ape of an 83 or hav'eany Yother suit'-i Leiaale 4. In' anamusement apparatus,ra plate ro- Hoy fromthe preceding one, seatssecured toveach of thexplates, means for arranging the plates in such aWay that the paths of the seats cross each other, 'common actuatingmeansfor both plates, yfor rendering the movements of these plates 'dependenton each other'andfth'us avoidingany possibilitv'of collision atY thejAcrossingpoints of both" paths.

5. In an amusementapparatus, 'plfuralityi of movable objectsarranged forreceiving" p'assengers,' means fory causing- "afportionv of these"movable objectslt'o move inf'a (certain directionon a denitep'ath',means orfca'us; e ing asecond portion of thesemovabl'e'objects" to move'in 'reverse direction' to thepreceding` 9 Y one 'on 'pathvconcentricwith" the first one, 1 inea'ns'for causing a'r third portion ofth'eseI`movable' objectstofm'ove, ina certain direcfV tion, on af'thirdpatharranged for crossing.:

fourthpjath concentricfvvith the thirdione and' also arranged forcrossing 'the t'vVo' irst paths, and means or "render1ng"the move#ments` ofthe movable objects dependent V on each" othergon "each oftheir pathsjand 'fori thuls avoiding anypossibilityV of collision' atthecrossingpoints zof the paths.'y Y' the paths ofthe' seats cross' eachother, means' v fof'reirderihg the lmlrvement's' of the yplatesdependent on each 'other and'for' thus avoid-` ing possibilityoflli'sioIi 'at th r'osisi'rig points of both paths.

'ran lansmsfapparat@a-piatfoj talting about a shaft, 'a 'secondlpl'atgrotating Ing lestimony- :whereof 1 'have 'Sign-ed: this; 105Spesa-ation. c j Y ROBERT RAPEIN.- v

